Today’s Super 7 > FRIDAY / APR. 08, 2016

“We search the internet everyday looking for the very best of What’s Happening, primarily on Manhattan’s WestSide, so that you don’t have to.” We make it as easy as 1-2-3.
(click on links for more complete event info.)

Have time for only one event today? Do This:Bill Charlap: Broadway to Harlem(also Saturday)Rose Theatre, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St./ 8PM, $40-$130
“It’s been far too long between recordings, but the blue-chip trio of the pianist Charlap has released a new album, “Notes from New York,” a masterly project replete with interpretations of standards both familiar and offbeat. Special guests for this celebration of Big Apple song fare include the vocalists Cécile McLorin Salvant and Freddy Cole and the reed men Houston Person and Ken Peplowski.” (NewYorker)
The Bill Charlap trio is experienced and always first class, but you don’t want to miss Cecile Salvant, that’s what makes this one extra special. We’ll be there.

Music, Dance, Performing ArtsProject B-Way/95 (Apr.07-20)Symphony Space, Broadway @ 95th St./
“Two weeks of reveling in The Great White Way as only Symphony Space can. See, hear, and meet leading singers, composers, writers, and directors with concerts, panel discussions, film screenings, workshops, literary events, and more! You’ve never been this close to Broadway before.”Tonight: Young Lions of Broadway /7:30PM, $25
“Symphony Space is the place to discover Broadway up-and-comers! Composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa (Big Fish, The Addams Family, I Am Harvey Milk) hosts this joyful look at Broadway’s newest performers and writers.”

Pharoah Sanders Quartet(thru Apr.9)Birdland, 315 W. 44th St./ 8:30PM, 11PM, $40
“Mainstream he will never be, but this pioneering free-jazz saxophonist now regularly tempers his robust effusions with deeply soulful playing that embraces the tradition without pandering to it. In fact, he’s initiated a new tradition; potent traces of Sanders’s ecstatic vibe can be detected in the music of Kamasi Washington.” (NewYorker)

Camille O’Sullivan (April 6-9 and April 13-16)Irish Arts Center, 553 W51st St./ 8PM, $32
“Pinning this Irish-French performer down to any one confining musical genre is a fool’s game. What can be confirmed is that she brings arresting theatricality and sensuality to a wide swath of song, touching on the work of Gillian Welch, Nick Cave, and others.” (NewYorker)
“Ravishing…superb performer.” – Guardian
“Exceptional.” – Time Out

Ballet Hispanico (Apr 5–10)Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave./ 8PM, $20–$60
“Dedicated to celebrating the creativity of the Hispanic diaspora, Ballet Hispanico marks its 45th anniversary with a Joyce season that includes its signature work, Perdo Ruiz’s ebullient Club Havana (2000), as well as Ramón Oller’s Bury Me Standing and the New York premiere of Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s colorful. The matinee on April 9, En Familia, is aimed at family audiences. “ (TONY)

This is definitely not Manhattan’s WestSide, but it is Bklyn’s WestSide, and absolutely worth the detour. You just have to see these guys perform. Unforgettable!Streb Extreme Action Company (Thursdays through Sundays, until April 24) / $25Streb Lab for Action Mechanics, 51 North First Street, Williamsburg,
“After a winter hiatus, superheroes are back in the multiplexes. More excitingly, they’re back in Brooklyn, where Elizabeth Streb’s gang of action heroes can be seen in “SEA (Singular Extreme Actions),” a new show that once again tests the boundaries of the human body as it navigates an army of complex, bespoke mechanical contraptions. The soundtrack shifts from show to show as audience members contribute to the playlist.”(Schaefer-NYT)
Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.,

“The festival celebrates the diversity of voices found today in Cuban and Latin American cinema and the inspirational stories they tell. Festival highlights include a tribute to the highly acclaimed and well-loved Cuban actors Isabel Santos (Vestido de novia, Cuba Libre) and Enrique Molina (La cosa humana); a retrospective commemorating the 20th anniversary of the late Tomás Gutierrez Alea, one of the most influential filmmakers of the last century; panels about filming and acting in Cuba; a special presentation of short documentaries about Cuban music; and premieres of award-winning features from all over Latin America.”
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One more thing. Today is the Mets home opener, or more grandly, the National League Champion’s home opener. Former pennant-winning stars Rusty Staub, John Franco and Edgardo Alfonzo will be on hand to hoist the National League championship banner during a pregame ceremony, starting at 12:40PM. This is the fifth pennant in club history, the first since 2000. Let’s Go Mets!
===========================================================Bonus – Jazz Venues:
Many consider NYCity the Jazz capital of the world. Here are my favorite Jazz clubs, all on Manhattan’s WestSide. Check out who is playing tonight:Greenwich Village (all six are within walking distance of each other):Village Vanguard – 178 7th Ave. South, villagevanguard.com, 212-255-4037Blue Note – 131 W3rd St. nr 6th ave. bluenotejazz.com, 212-475-859255 Bar – basement @55 Christopher St. nr 7th ave.S. 55bar.com, 212-929-9883
in case you need more options in the Village, these are also fine spots:Mezzrow – basement @ 163 W10th St. nr 7th Ave. mezzrow.com,646-476-4346Smalls – basement @ 183 W10th St. smallslive.com, 646-476-4346Cornelia Street Cafe – 29 Cornelia St. corneliastreetcafe.com, 212-989-9319Outside Greenwich Village:Dizzy’s Club – Broadway @ 60th St. — jazz.org/dizzys / 212-258-9595Birdland – 315 W44th St.(btw 8/9ave) — birdlandjazz.com / 212-581-3080Smoke Jazz Club – 2751 Broadway nr.106th St. — smokejazz.com / 212-864-6662

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♦ Before making final plans, we suggest you call the venue to confirm ticket availability, dates and times, as schedules are subject to change.
♦ NYCity, with a population of 8.5 million, had a record 58 million visitors last year and was TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Top U.S. Destination for 2016. Quality shows draw crowds.
Try to reserve seats in advance, even if just on day of performance.
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A PremierPub and 3 Good Eating Places – Greenwich Village

Caffe Vivaldi/ 32 Jones Street (btw. Bleecker St./W4th St.)

Café Vivaldi is a classic, intimate club located in Greenwich Village on Jones Street, the street featured on the cover of Bob Dylan’s second album, “Freewheelin’. ”

Each night Ishrat, the long time proprietor and impresario, carefully curates and schedules an eclectic series of musicians. You can often see him at his table in the corner, hard at work reviewing music videos and listening to cd demos on his laptop, scouting out future bookings. Musicians come from all over to play and sing in a club in Greenwich Village. Some are local New Yorkers, others are just passing through, in town for a few days.

There is a small bar, seating maybe 10. It’s close to the stage and I find it’s a perfect spot to sip a glass of red wine while listening to the music. The room itself has the performance area at one end and a cozy fireplace at the other. The performance area here is small, dominated by a large black Yamaha Grand piano. Tables are bunched together and most people at the tables are eating lite meals or sampling the wonderful desserts.

There is also a good selection of fairly priced wines, but you are here because of the music. You can never be quite sure what you’re going to find, and that’s half the charm of this place. It’s not a home run every night, but many nights it’s pretty special.

I remember the night I saw the most talented bossa nova group, just in from San Paulo. As I listened, I wondered if there was any better music playing anywhere else in New York City that night. And at Caffé Vivaldi there is never a cover charge. Their recently redesigned web site does give you a better idea of the type of music playing each night.

At one time Greenwich Village was filled with clubs just like this, but times change. Real estate interests have impacted the village, and not for the better. Even Caffé Vivaldi had a rough time recently, when a new landlord raised the rent exorbitantly. Fortunately, Ishrat has built a loyal following over the years, and a fund raiser and slightly more reasonable rent has kept Café Vivaldi in business.

When Woody Allen and Al Pacino wanted to make movies featuring the timeless quality of Greenwich Village they came to Vivaldi. It’s important that we keep this special place alive, for if we lose Cafe Vivaldi, NYCity will have lost a piece of it’s soul.

If you have a fave premier pub or good eating place on Manhattan’s WestSide let us all know about it – leave a comment.
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3 Good Eating places

It’s not difficult to find a place to eat in Manhattan.
Finding a good, inexpensive place to eat is a bit harder.
Here are a few of my faves in this neighborhood:

Fish – 280 Bleecker St. (just a bit S. of 7th ave South)
This was an easy pick – the best raw bar special in town. $9 gets you 6 of the freshest oysters or clams + a glass of wine or beer. Don’t know how they can do it, but I tell everyone I know about this place. And it’s located right in the heart of some of the best no cover music in town.

Bleecker Street Pizza – 69 7th ave S. (corner of Bleecker St.)
The place is tiny and not much to look at, but this is one good slice. They like to brag that they have been voted “Best pizza in NY” 3 years in a row by the Food Network. I believe them. I would have voted for them.

Num Pang– 21 E 12th St. (btw. University Place/5th ave.)
This is a Cambodian banh mi sandwich shop that kept me well fed while I was in class nearby recently. It’s cramped, even for NYCity, but usually there is room up the spiral staircase to sit down and eat. In good weather carry your sandwich a few blocks to Union Square park. You may have to wait a few minutes, because everything is freshly made, but it’s worth it. Can you believe – an unheard of 26 food rating by Zagat.

========================================================“3 Good Eating places” focuses on a quick bite, what I call “Fine Fast Food – NYCity Style”
No reservations needed.========================================================
NYCity is the most diverse and interesting place to find a meal anywhere in the world. With more than 24 thousand eating establishments you might welcome some advice.

◊ For all my picks of 54 Good Eating places, and essays on my favorite 18 PremierPubs in 9 Neighborhoods on Manhattan’s WestSide, order a copy of my e-book:“Eating and Drinking on NYCity’s WestSide” ($4.99, available Summer 2016).
◊ Order before July 31, 2016 and receive a bonus – 27 of my favorite casual dining places with free Wi-Fi.
=============================================================This week’s fave and FREE NYCity AppS: Trip Advisor
An enormous base of NYCity user reviews (2.1 million) provides the widest coverage of hotels (468), restaurants (12,645) and things to do (yes, 3,246). Have a specific question? Then try one of Trip Advisor’s forums. Just remember that with all those reviews you have to try to find the consistency among the comments, and ignore the outliers.

OpenTable
Instantly locate restaurants near you with open reservations and then place a reservation right from your iOS device. A great interface and the ability to see a menu from the restaurant you’re interested in makes this my go to restaurant reservation app.

Subway Time
Need to catch your #1,2,3 subway to attend an event? Use the Subway Time app from the MTA to find out when the next train arrives at your station. The MTA also has Bus Time info available on their mobile website.
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